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Share2004 Training Camp Notes
2004 Offseason Moves 2004 NBA DRAFT: Andre Iguodala (First Round, 9th pick overall)• An early-entry candidate, Iguodala, became the Sixers first lottery selection since 1998 (Larry Hughes, 8th overall).• Iguodala signed a contract with the Sixers on July 2, 2004. FREE AGENT SIGNINGS: Brian Skinner (Signed on July 14, 2004) • At 6-foot-9, 265 pounds, Skinner makes his returns to the 76ers after posting career highs in points (10.5), rebounds (7.3) and minutes (28.2) for Milwaukee in 2003-04.Josh Davis (Signed on Sept. 20, 2004)• Davis, the 2003-04 Continental Basketball Association (CBA) Most Valuable Player, made his NBA debut in 2003-04 with the Atlanta Hawks after signing a 10-day contract. TRADE ACQUISITIONS: Kevin Ollie and Kedrick Brown (from Cleveland in exchange for Eric Snow on July 20, 2004)• Ollie begins his third stint with the 76ers, having played in Philadelphia during the 1999-00 season and the 2000-01 season when the Sixers advanced to the NBA Finals. • Brown enters his fourth season in the NBA after being selected with the 11th overall pick selection of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.Corliss Williamson (from Detroit in exchange for Derrick Coleman and Amal McCaskill on Aug. 4, 2004)• Entering his 10th season in the NBA, Williamson is a career 49.2 percent field-goal shooter, while converting 70.3 percent from the free throw line. Last season for the Pistons, he played in 79 games and averaged 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game. RETIREMENT: Todd MacCulloch (Sept. 22, 2004)• After missing the entire 2003-04 campaign and 40 games in 2002-03 due to foot neuropathy, the Winnipeg, Manitoba, native retired from the game of basketball. OTHER DEPARTURES: Greg Buckner (Waived on Sept. 8, 2004)• In two seasons in Philadelphia, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 17.3 minutes in 128 total games. |
O’BRIEN ENTERS FIRST SEASON WITH SIXERS: On April 21, 2004, the Sixers officially introduced Jim O’Brien as the 20th head coach in franchise history. O’Brien joins the organization after spending the last seven seasons with the Boston Celtics (1997-2004). After serving as an assistant coach in Boston from 1997 to 2001, O’Brien was named interim head coach of the Celtics on Jan. 8, 2001, following the departure of Rick Pitino. He signed a multi-year contract as head coach of the Celtics on April 24, 2001; Boston announced O’Brien’s resignation on Jan. 27, 2004 after posting a 139-119 (.539) regular season record. During his four seasons as a head coach, the Celtics made back-to-back playoff appearances (2002, 2003), including a trip to the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1987-88.
IVERSON’S OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE: Sixers guard Allen Iverson served as a co-captain for Team USA at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece and led the team in scoring (13.8 ppg), minutes per game (27.1) and three-point field goals made (15) as Team USA posted a 5-3 record en route to the bronze medal. Prior to the Olympic Games, Iverson and Team USA played six exhibition games, posting a 5-1 record, with their only loss coming at the hands of Italy (95-78) on Aug. 3, 2004 in Cologne, Germany. On the following day (Aug. 4), Iverson hit a game-winning 40-foot three-pointer to lift the USA Senior Team to an 80-77 win over Germany.
TWO SIXTH MAN AWARD WINNERS: With the acquisition of forward Corliss Williamson (from Detroit, 8/4/04), the 2004-05 76ers roster features two players that have received the NBA Sixth Man Award. Sixers guard Aaron McKie took home the honors in 2000-01, while Williamson received the award for the 2001-02 season while playing with Detroit.
TRAINING CAMP ADDITIONS: Guard Nate James and forward Kirk Haston will join the Sixers training camp roster. James, a 2001 Duke University graduate, played in Hungary most recently. Haston, a 2001 First Round selection (16th overall), played two seasons withthe Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets before being waived on Oct. 29, 2003.
IN THE NBA RECORD BOOKS: Entering the 2004-05 season, Allen Iverson ranks 103rd all-time among NBA career points leaders with 14,436 points and ranks sixth all-time in NBA history in scoring average (27.0 ppg).
HIGHEST SCORING AVERAGE (400 Games or 10,000 Points Min.) Player G FTM FGM Pts Avg Michael Jordan 1072 7,327 12,192 32,292 30.12 Wilt Chamberlain 1045 6,057 12,681 31,419 30.07 Elgin Baylor 846 5,763 8,693 23,149 27.4 SHAQUILLE O'NEAL 809 4,573 8,670 21,914 27.1 Jerry West 932 7,160 9,016 25,192 27.03 ALLEN IVERSON 535 3,539 5,104 14,436 26.98 Bob Pettit 792 6,182 7,349 20,880 26.4 George Gervin 791 4,541 8,045 20,708 26.2 Oscar Robertson 1040 7,694 9,508 26,710 25.7 KARL MALONE 1476 9,787 13,528 36,928 25.0NINTH SEASON: Iverson enters his ninth season with the Sixers. Only 10 other players have played nine or more seasons with the 76ers/Nationals – Dolph Schayes (16, 1948-64); Hal Greer (15, 1958-73); Paul Seymour (13, 1947-60); Maurice Cheeks (11, 1978-89); Julius Erving (11, 1976-87); John “Red” Kerr (11, 1954-65); Al Bianchi (10, 1956-66); Larry Costello (10, 1957-67); Billy Cunningham (9, 1965-72 &1974-76) and Steve Mix (9, 1973-82).
FAMILIAR FACES: With the off-season acquisitions of Kevin Ollie and Brian Skinner, the Sixers return two players with past playing experience in Philadelphia. Ollie, acquired along with Kedrick Brown via trade with Cleveland, played returns for his third stint with the 76ers having played in Philadelphia during the 1999-00 season and the 2000-01 season, when the Sixers advanced to the NBA Finals. Skinner returns to the Sixers after a one-year hiatus in Milwaukee.
SEEKING A RETURN: The 2003-04 season ended the Sixers streak of five-straight playoff appearances. The Sixers have made 41 playoff appearances in franchise history, third most on the all-time franchise playoff appearance list behind only the L.A. Lakers (52) and the Boston Celtics (44).
DALEMBERT’S BLOCK PARTY: Playing in his second season with the Sixers center Samuel Dalembert finished the 2003-04 season ranked ninth in the NBA in blocks per game (2.30 bpg). The 6-foot-11 center had 189 blocks (6th in the NBA), the seventh-best Sixers single-season record for blocked shots. Shawn Bradley owns the all-time franchise record for blocks in a season (274, 1994-95).
COMEBACK KID: After spending the entire 2002-03 season on the injured list, Sixers center Samuel Dalembert was one of only two Sixers players to play in every game last season (Eric Snow). Dalembert posted a team second-best 15 double-doubles (40th in the NBA), including 11 after the All-Star Break. He finished eighth in the balloting for 2003-04 NBA Most Improved PlayerAward. Here is a look at Dalembert’s marked improvement from his rookie season to his second season in the NBA:
DALEMBERT CAREER STATISTICAL COMPARISON: YEAR G-GS MPG FG% RPG BPG PPG 2001-02 34-0 5.2 .440 2.0 .38 1.5 2003-04 82-53 26.8 .541 7.6 2.30 8.0 +21.6 +.101 +5.6 +1.92 +6.5 SAMUEL DALEMBERT 2003-04 STATISTICAL COMPARISON: YEAR MPG FG% RPG BPG PPG Double-Doubles Pre-All-Star Break 23.6 .554 6.4 1.87 7.0 4 Post-All-Star Break 32.6 .526 9.9 3.10 9.7 11 TOTALS 26.8 .542 7.6 2.30 8.0 15DOUBLE-TROUBLE: During the 2003-04 season, Sixers forward Kenny Thomas ranked 9th in the NBA in rebounds per game (10.1) and was one of just 11 players in the NBA to average a double-double. The last Sixers player that played at least 30 games and averaged a double-double was Derrick Coleman (1996-97: 57 GP, 18.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg). During the 2000-01 regular season, Dikembe Mutombo averaged 11.7 points and 12.4 rebounds in 26 games after being acquired by the Sixers in a mid-season trade. The 6-foot-7 Thomas was one of just two players that rank in the top-30 in rebounds per game that measured in under 6-foot-9 (Shawn Marion, PHO).
PLAYERS THAT AVERAGED A DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN 2003-04 PLAYER HGT TEAM PPG RPG Kevin Garnett 6-11 MIN 24.2 13.9 Tim Duncan 7-0 SAS 22.3 12.4 Shaquille O’Neal 7-1 LAL 21.5 11.5 Zach Randolph 6-9 POR 20.1 10.5 Jermaine O’Neal 6-11 IND 20.1 10.0 Elton Brand 6-8 LAC 20.0 10.3 Carlos Boozer 6-9 CLE 15.5 11.4 Brad Miller 7-0 SAC 14.1 10.3 Kenny Thomas 6-7 PHI 13.6 10.1 Jamaal Magloire 6-11 NOH 13.6 10.3 Erick Dampier 6-11 GSW 12.3 12.0INJURY BUG: The Sixers lineup was plagued by injuries all season in 2003-04. A total of 13 different players missed at least one game due to injury, missing a combined 350 games. Sixers leading scorer, Allen Iverson missed a career-high 34 games (14-20), while the team’s second-leading scorer, Glenn Robinson, was sidelined for a total of 40 games (37 due to injury). The Sixers were 10-18 in games in which both Iverson and Robinson played, compared to 9-9 in games that they both missed. FROM DOWNTOWN: In 2003-04, the Sixers attempted 992 three-pointers, the most attempts since 1996-97, when the 76ers shot 433-for-1356 (.319) from long range. Last season, the Sixers connected on 34.2 percent (339-992 3FG) from long-range. Aaron McKie (.436) became the first Sixers player to connect on 40.0 percent or better from three-point range since the 1994-95 season when Dana Barros connected on a franchise-best 46.4 percent. McKie finished with the fifth-best single-season three-point field goal percentage (43.6) in franchise history.
76ERS THREE-POINT SHOOTING IN LAST SIX SEASONS
Season 3FGM PCT GP 3FGA/G
1997-98 243-810 .300 82 9.88
1998-99 98-371 .264 50 7.42
1999-00 208-643 .323 82 7.84
2000-01 262-803 .326 82 9.79
2001-02 243-810 .300 82 9.88
2002-03 245-787 .311 82 9.60
2003-04 339-992 .342 82 12.10
TOP-5 THREE-POINT FIELD GOAL PCT. - SINGLE SEASON TEAM RECORDS:
Season 3FG-A PCT
1. 1994-95 355-936 .379
2. 1992-93 330-941 .351
3. 1989-90 189-543 .348
4t. 2003-04 339-992 .342
1995-96 492-1438 .342
KORVER DIALING IN FROM LONG DISTANCE: Last season, Sixers rookie Kyle Korver ranked second among all rookies and 23rd overall in three-point field goal percentage (.391, 81-207). Of his 115 field goals made, 70.4 percent of them (81) were from long range. Korver, who became the first rookie ever to participate in the three-point shootout at All-Star weekend, finished his rookie campaign ranked third among the 76ers all-time rookie leaders for three-point field goals made (81) and attempted (207), behind only Allen Iverson and Jerry Stackhouse.
76ERS ROOKIE RECORDS: TOP-5 THREE-POINT FIELD GOAL MADE & ATTEMPTED Player Year 3FGM 1. Allen Iverson 1996-97 155 2. Jerry Stackhouse 1995-96 93 3. Kyle Korver 2003-04 81 4. Hersey Hawkins 1988-89 71 5. Tim Thomas 1997-98 62 Player Year 3FGA 1. Allen Iverson 1996-97 455 2. Jerry Stackhouse 1995-96 292 3. Kyle Korver 2003-04 207 4. Tim Thomas 1997-98 171 5. Hersey Hawkins 1988-89 166
